Surat: Local police arrested Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Rajash Moradiya and his aide, Pankaj Patel alias Hirani, on Saturday for allegedly extorting ₹1 lakh from a businessman.

According to the FIR filed by businessman Ronak Patel, Ward 2 councillor Moradiya and Hirani repeatedly approached him between October and December 2024, demanding money. Moradiya allegedly threatened to have Patel’s temporary structure demolished by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) if he refused to pay. When Patel resisted, Moradiya reportedly strangled him while Hirani brandished a knife, forcing him to pay ₹1 lakh. Fearful of retaliation, Patel initially refrained from reporting the crime but later approached the police as authorities intensified their crackdown on extortion cases.

Meanwhile, another FIR was registered against Moradiya for allegedly extorting ₹50,000 from a farmer. Further action will depend on the ongoing investigation. Both cases have been registered at Utran police station.

Moradiya, elected as a municipal councillor on an AAP ticket in February 2021, was suspended from the party in April 2023 for alleged anti-party activities. DeshGujarat